Image from Life of a Flower (1953) directed by Tran Lang. 

We are looking for 20 cultural practitioners (film-makers, archivists, curators, composers, writers, researchers, managers, amongst others) to participate in a series of workshops on practices around archival film materials. The workshops will take place in Hanoi (16-18 January 2019) and form part of FILM AS A CULTURAL HERITAGE - a series of happenings around Vietnam’s film heritage within the context of British Council Vietnam’s Heritage of Future Past project. 

Venue: The Centre for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents, 51–53 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi 
Date: 16–18 January 2019 

The workshops are aimed at Vietnam-based practitioners who seek to further their understanding of and explore possibilities around film archives and archival film materials, via both creative and management pathways. 

During the three days of workshops, topics covered will range from the making of found footage work via a community-based approach, platforms and models for community engagement, building and running film archives, access and distribution channels, film restoration, amongst others.

Sessions will be led by curators, archivists and film-makers from Vietnam and the UK, who have also provided valuable input towards the programme’s design. There will also be peer sessions, where participants can present and receive feedback on their ideas, plus ample time and space for brainstorming and getting hands-on.

By bringing together fellow-spirited individuals from a wide spectrum of backgrounds in one lab-like environment, we seek to catalyse new ways of thinking about and approaching Vietnam’s film heritage. Projects born out of this melting pot of inspiration might also be considered for financial support through our FAMLAB Fund initiative. 

Other information 

The programme is open to participants of any nationality. Sessions will be conducted in either Vietnamese or English, with interpretation provided.

Travel expenses to/from other locations in Vietnam – as well as hotel accommodation and a per diem during the workshops – will be arranged for and covered by British Council Vietnam for a maximum seven participants from outside Hanoi.

Detailed programme schedule, profiles of participants and speakers, and joining instructions will be sent to participants by 24 December 2018.

How to apply

To apply, please send your application package to vnarts@britishcouncil.org.vn by 18.00, 14 December 2018. Successful applicants will be informed by 18 December 2018.

Your application package should include:

  • a short text (maximum one A4 side, in either Vietnamese or English) explaining who you are and why you would like to take part in these workshops. 
  • at least two online links to examples of your past creative work (films, audio recordings, text, etc.). 

About FILM AS A CULTURAL HERITAGE – A Series of Happenings

Hanoi – 15-18 January 2019 

While not conventionally recognised as an intangible cultural heritage, film, video and other forms of moving image – as a powerful medium made use of on an everyday basis and universally understood – are of considerable importance in our attempts to record, document and make sense of history, on collective and personal scales. The safeguarding and transmission of these histories greatly depend on acts of archiving, restoring and promoting video materials, and increasingly significant efforts and investments have been made towards these pursuits.

As with other nations in the region and beyond, Vietnam has seen a rekindled interest in its film heritage. For many, film resembles a time machine – the opportunity to see memories and past lives played out on screen, by way of providing a glimpse into possible futures.  

Contributing to the overall goals of our Heritage of Future Past project, the Film as a Cultural Heritage series of symposium, workshops and public events provide a platform to achieve the following:

  • advocate for the cultural and social value of film archives and archival materials 
  • facilitate new conversations between different constituencies (State agencies and organisations, independent organisations, film-makers, the public, experts from other fields and art-forms)
  • share and learn about ways to work with film archives, from practical and creative angles.

An unprecedented series of happenings, the four-day programme – co-organised by British Council in Vietnam and Vietnam Film Institute – will feature film practitioners from the UK and all around Vietnam, with public screenings each evening.

About Heritage of Future Past

Heritage of Future Past  is a two-year project delivered through the British Council’s Culture and Development initiative. Engaging with Vietnam’s music/film heritage, especially those currently under-threat or under-represented, the project consists of two interconnected strands: community-level activities, and FAMLAB (Film, Archive and Music Lab). Launched in April 2018, the project seeks to create opportunities for communities across the country to contribute to – and benefit from – the safeguarding and reinvigoration of their cultural heritage.

Project activities are focused on research, documentation, conservation, training and capacity building (including oral teaching techniques), experimentation and innovation, advocacy and education (including policy and community dialogues), and the re-imagination and revitalisation of cultural heritage assets via contemporary practices.

For more information, please contact

Hung Tran
Programme Manager
Arts and Creative Industries
British Council 
20 Thuy Khue
Hanoi
Vietnam
T +84 1800 1299 ext 1929
hung.tran@britishcouncil.org.vn

Hong Pham 
Arts Manager
British Council
20 Thuy Khue
Hanoi
Vietnam
T +84 1800 1299 ext 1924
hong.pham@britishcouncil.org.vn 

See also